The Full Moon Coffee Shop

A Novel

By: Mai Mochizuki, Jesse Kirkwood - translator

Narrated by: Sadao Ueda, Tomoko Komura, Yuriri Naka

NATIONAL BESTSELLER • Translated from the Japanese bestseller, a charming and magical novel that reminds us it’s never too late to follow our stars.

“Mochizuki dazzles in her beautifully crafted contemporary fantasy debut. . . . This gentle fantasy is not to be missed.”—Publishers Weekly, starred review (Best Books of the Year)

In Japan, cats are a symbol of good luck. As the myth goes, if you are kind to them, they’ll one day return the favor. And if you are kind to the right cat, you might just find yourself invited to a mysterious coffee shop under a glittering Kyoto moon.

This particular coffee shop is like no other. It has no fixed location, no fixed hours, and it seemingly appears at random.

It’s also run by talking cats.

While customers at the Full Moon Coffee Shop partake in cakes and coffees and teas, the cats also consult their star charts, offering cryptic wisdom, and letting them know where their lives veered off course.

Every person who visits the shop has been feeling more than a little lost. For a down-on-her-luck screenwriter, a romantically stuck movie director, a hopeful hairstylist, and a technologically challenged website designer, the coffee shop’s feline guides will set them back on their fated paths. For there is a very special reason the shop appeared to each of them . . .

Critic reviews

“Mochizuki dazzles in her beautifully crafted contemporary fantasy debut. . . . The stories of all five characters subtly but cleverly intersect, pointing to an act of kindness in their pasts that gets mystically mirrored back to them in the present. Just as sweet and satisfying as the scrumptious desserts served at the eponymous café, this gentle fantasy is not to be missed.”—Publishers Weekly, starred review

“Charming . . . This lovely, short read is perfect for book discussions, readers of feel-good fiction, and all those needing a redirection in their own lives. Highly recommended.”—Booklist (starred review)

Narration ruined it for me

I returned this to audible. The story seemed interesting. The narration was monotone and hard to listen to.

Wanted to love it

I wanted to love this book, I really did. I just couldn’t get into it. A lot of the ideas in this book would normally keep my interest but they way it reads (even with my audiobooks set to 1.25 speed) just isn’t very engaging. Maybe if I read it physically myself. The audiobooks just didn’t work for me for this one.

A treat for current times

Resonates with the current times well and was a quick delightful story that ties together well

I like cats

I’m a cat owner. I had previously enjoyed the audible book “We’ll Prescribe you a Cat.” I listened to this book while walking outside for exercise. The book is calming to listen to with very little in it to shock you or trigger you. It got repetitive at times. However, I did enjoy each characters struggle and the hope and inspiration they found at the cafe. The astrology part was interesting, but different cause I don’t know much about it. It’s a good read for those who like cats and need some calm infused into their day.

Whimsical

This story was difficult to follow at first, but once it picked up, it was a sweet story. The twist at the end was perfect.